Day by Day
by TrueLove'sMiss
Summary: Rescuing the princess was just the easy, helping her live in the 21st century was where the real challenge began. Series of one-shots based on Belle's life after being rescued.
1. Mysterious Attraction

AN So I had this thought of what it would be like for Belle once she is returned to the land of the living, if she remembered her past like so many believe she will. My first thought was I bet it's going to be weird to see cell phones, and washing machines. And then I thought, in this world women wear pants… and in Ruby's case, she wears much less. Now that would be fun to write about. Anyways this is the beginning of my drabble story.

Disclaimer: ABC owns OUaT. If I owned it we wouldn't be waiting weeks at a time for a new episode, and it would center around Belle and Rumpel…. I wish I owned it.

Mysterious Attraction

She had been released from the prison that held her captive for twenty-eight years. Finally, she was free to walk in the streets with the sunshine warming her face and a bounce in her step as she looked around the town. Beside her, one arm around her waist, and the other grasping his cane to support his bad leg, walked the man responsible for her release.

It hadn't taken long before old Regina realized she was heading to a battle she couldn't win, at least not as long as a certain pawnbroker kept stacking the deck against her. In return for his removal from the game, he would win back something he longed for since the day he had refused her love and thrown her out in their past life.

Within three days time, Belle, or Rebecca in public, was brought out of the hospital with a clean bill of health and given a room with her liberator. Whether it was her association with Rumpelstiltskin, or pure luck, Belle's memory was completely intact. Rum, or Reymis Gold as he was known here, said he believed the queen left her memory so that she could be declared insane in this world, but that was just a speculation.

Belle personally didn't care how she remembered her old life with her lover, just that she did. Although there were days such as now that she wished she had some of the false memories that seemed to assist in the fellow fairytale creatures everyday lives in the current world they inhibited.

Across the street from the odd couple, walked a tall brunette with bright red heels, shorts and a midriff bearing white shirt. Catcalls followed the girl as she sashayed toward the red car on the curb in front of her grandmother's diner.

Catching her gaze, Belle felt her entire face burn as she quickly averted her eyes to the road in front of her. Seemingly oblivious to the exchange, Mr. Gold turned to his true love.

"Why don't we go to the diner for lunch?" He said smiling kindly at her before finally noticing the unnatural color coming into her face as she tried to avoid eye contact with him. "Love, what's wrong?"

Glancing once more across the street, Belle hesitated her steps before coming to a complete stop. "I don't understand this world at all." She said shaking her head in frustration her blush receding as her embarrassment turned into irritation.

"Love, perhaps we shouldn't discuss this here?" Gold asked looking around for any eavesdroppers on this private conversation.

"Yes, I know it's just…" Belle gestured across the street where Ruby was pulling away from the curb. "Why is everything so different? It wouldn't be that annoying if it were a few things, but it's everything! Food, and the way people speak and especially the way people dress!"

"I mean, why do the women here dress in nothing but their…. Unmentionables." Her voice trailed off as a chuckle interrupted her tirade. Releasing Belle, Gold held his hand towards his mouth trying to disguise his laughter as clearing his throat. Trying to regain his composure, he pushed forward leading them to the diner.

They entered the establishment and seated themselves in the vacated booth near the back of the room, Mr. Gold's usual spot. Finally calming down, Gold met Belle's current glare with a small smile, trying to be of comfort.

"I'm glad this is so humorous to you," Belle muttered before bringing the menu up to hide her from his line of sight. Gold pushed down the top of the menu and brought his hand under Belle's chin, making her meet his gaze.

"I've spent entirely too long without your company for you to hide now," he said taking the menu from her hands. "Besides, I know what to get."

"How does this not bother you?" Belle asked abruptly. "You couldn't look at me for a week when I was gardening, but now you don't even seem to notice girls walking around half-naked."

Gold smiled again recalling that day, one of the many he had repressed when his Belle had been taken from him.

He, being Rumpelstiltskin the imp and not the feared lame man he was now, had just returned from yet another deal of desperate souls longing for purpose in this miserable life and was quite exhausted. As of late, Belle had been serving him tea and reading aloud while he spun at night, having an insatiable need to show friendship to the monster, and he was quite looking forward to her company. He entered his dark manor, the doors opening for him with the wave of his hand, and looked about the main room. Not spotting his housemaid, he searched through the house becoming less tired and more irritated as she had still not shown herself to him.

"Belle!" Rumpelstiltskin called out in the dark hall, listening for any response. Hearing none, he rushed toward the door convinced that the girl had finally come to her senses and run away from the frightening monster. The rage that consumed him as he ran out the Dark Castle's entrance toward the main road ceased when he heard a light voice singing behind him.

Rumpel turned in time to see his maid rising from a pile of weeds, what once, years ago, used to be a garden, he was sure. Relief flooded him as he tried to regain a indifferent expression and walked towards her, stopping short when he took stock of her attire. One of his old shirts, old enough to have memories of a destitute village and an even poorer wool merchant, hung from her small frame, a pair of loose britches tied around her waist.

Belle looked up from the arduous task of cleaning out the gardens to meet the gaze of her master, smiling slightly at him before he looked away nervously, face a warmer color than the usual gray.

"Is something wrong?" She asked tentatively wondering if perhaps he was upset at her shirking her usual chores for gardening. "I'm sorry that I'm not working inside, but it's really a beautiful day today, and I just couldn't stay in. The chores are all don-"

"It's not that," Rumpel muttered still not meeting her gaze gesturing to her attire with his hand. "Was your dress too difficult to work in?"

Belle looked down at her clothing, her face taking on a light shade of pink before clearing her throat. Over the past week, she had been comfortable being alone, and took the liberty of wearing less confining materials, immediately noticing a difference in the time it took to do her chores. She'd been a proper lady all of ten years, the fifteen before then being spent on the wharf helping her father with his boat as a poor merchant. Her childhood spent playing with the village children and swimming in the water of the sea for many years, taking no thought ofmodesty. Afterwards, ten years of nobility reprimanded her for allowing a man that was not her husband to see her legs so clearly. It had occured to her that if he had a son, then surely he'd seen more than an outline of legs before by a woman, but that thought was quickly stifled by Rumpel clearing his throat still, awaiting an answer to his question.

"Yes, sorry. I didn't mean to take your clothes without asking, but it really is much easier to move this way," Belle said, finally regaining her confidence. "I hope it's not to forward to ask this, but I really do prefer to work dressed like this."

Rumpel looked her in the eye, his expression unreadable as he contemplated the nature of her request.

"After all, you're not looking for love, just a caretaker of this rather large estate."

A grimace broke over Rumpel's face before he dismissed it by walking back into his home. He stopped in the door way calling over his shoulder, "Do what you wish dearie, I'm going to rest for a bit."

"Reymis… are you even listening anymore?"

Blinking Gold returned to the present world, finding himself once again sitting with his love in a small diner in a cursed world and shook his head.

"Yes, well…" He cleared his throat which was suddenly dry as he met Belle's gaze across the table. She seemed to have an almost triumphant air to her expression. Rumpel raised his hand toward the young African American who had taken over Ruby's shift earlier, Tia, Tina… something of that nature, before meeting Belle's eye confidently.

"One gets used to it I suppose," he grinned, "but I've always preferred mystery in women."


	2. French Fries and Contracts

AN: I forgot to mention this earlier, but thank you Oldromanticem for betaing for me. You've been a joy to work with!

Disclaimer: Don't own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters.

French Fries and Contracts

"Rebecca, will you collect the returns, pleas,e dear," the graying woman said, bustling around the front of the mahogany desk, stacking papers here and there. She straightened a picture of a young family with an unimaginable amount of dogs surrounding them, before coming towards the back where Belle was working.

"All of these- right Ms. Anna," Belle asked, her head in the small cupboard that housed returned books. She brought her load up to the top of the desk with a huff. Looking over her spoils, Belle carefully stamped the card in the back of each book to indicate its safe arrival at the dated library.

Storybrooke's library was in a word: sad. There lay only three rows of books and most of them were encyclopedias or binders with copies of "The Daily Mirror", but lately, there was a silver lining. Slowly, the sections towards the front of the undersized building had begun to fill up, dedicated strictly to novels. Shelves now held everything from the newest trend, something called a "vampire romance"-which Rebecca didn't understand in the least- to Jane Austen's classics. The sudden influx of books to the library came from an anonymous donor whose influence and wealth within the town encouraged a literary revival. The once dusty building now held several patrons looking over their acquisitions at the randomized tables around the room, a harsh florescent light shining above them.

"There's still so much to do!" Anna prattled as she began to unload boxes behind Belle, tape screeching in the normally quiet room. "Please return the returns..." She paused in her unloading, her arms filled with children's picture books. "Why, that was a bit ironic, now wasn't it dear?"

Belle smiled kindly at the elderly woman before heading towards the shelves to replace the hardbacks. As she set about her task, she hesitated when her hands fell on one of her favorites of this world, Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". Belle had read through her copy, the paperback one that she had found sitting on her dresser of her new home before she had begun working during the days.

She had entered her room to retire for the night, when she stumbled across it sitting precariously on the stand, a note written in the cover, "Belle, something you might enjoy to pass the time." She had smiled at his thinking of her and had nearly exited her room to go thank him down the hall, but then remembered propriety and decided her thanks could wait until the morning. Goodness knows there was already enough suspicion and gossip around the town when it came to the two of them, and she wasn't about to do anything to encourage it. At least not until there was a ring of her finger, regardless of whether or not it was considered "old fashioned" in this new world.

Belle was brought back to the library by the opening of the door, which caused a little bell to ring, much like her love's store. Having put up the remaining books, she turned to see a beautiful blonde walk in her arms full with two bags and a couple drinks.

"Hey, Becca!" Emma called smiling towards the brunette who grimaced at the nickname, but quickly returned the smile.

"Hi, Emma, what are you doing here?" She took the drinks that were balanced unsteadily in the crook of her arm and pulled her towards the back room, where more boxes lay along with Anna who was currently digging underneath a table for something.

"Anna, do you mind if I take lunch? I put the books back," Belle tapped the older woman on the shoulder getting her attention from muttering something under her breath to the two women standing behind her.

"Oh yes! Of course dear, let me just head to the front and cover the desk," Anna whipped her hands on the front of her dress as she crawled out and headed to the desk.

"I bet she's fun to work with," Emma said setting the bags down on the small table Anna had been under, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"Be nice- she is actually quite enjoyable company," Belle retorted shaking her head and looking for two chairs to sit in.

"Yeah… you just enjoy older company," Emma smirked as Belle's face went scarlet at the insinuation. She refused to meet her gaze, directing her attention toward what she had brought for lunch instead.

Belle looked cautiously into the dark bag, the bottom of it a darker color from the grease that had soaked through. Carefully she pulled out a wad of paper, unfolding it to find a small tray of yellow spears.

"What is this?" Belle asked uncertain of her now acquired lunch. She looked up to see Emma's face in shock. "What? What's wrong?"

"Does he keep you locked in a cave?" Emma asked reaching back into the bag to pull out a couple burgers and ketchup.

A dark look crossed Belle's face as her mind wandered to her time being held captive, immediately ready to guard her love's honor.

"No. He got me out of one," she said in a clipped tone, the spears forgotten on the table. Belle looked steadily at Emma who quickly realized her tactless choice of words.

"Oh, wait, no! Ugh, I'm so sorry! That's totally not what I meant, it's just that you had to have had French fries before," Emma handed Belle one of the sandwiches before adding ketchup to her own. "I mean, it's kind of a staple to have as a kid. How old are you, anyways?"

Belle begrudgingly took her burger, still not happy with the way that Emma viewed Reymis with such public distaste. She brought it to her lips and took a tentative bite before chewing thoughtfully. Her eyes widened at the flavor in her mouth, and she took a bigger bite truly enjoying it.

Emma watched in fascination as she inhaled her burger, her eyes closed as she sighed in satisfaction. She cleared her throat, gaining Belle's attention, a small blush forming on her cheek as she swallowed and answered, "Thirty-three." She took another bite as Emma gaped at her.

"That's impossible," she said, disregarding her own food. "You look so young, you can't possibly be five years older than me."

Belle laughed though her food before she finally dropped her sandwhich to turn her full attention to the blonde.

"Yes, well, I look much younger than I am, I suppose," her eyes crinkled as she smiled at her friend. The two girls continued their meals while talking back and forth about their days. As Belle began to gather the trash. Emma looked at her, a serious expression on her face.

"So, why him?"

Belle stopped her cleaning long enough to fix her with a confused expression. Emma shook her head, a slight smile on her face before trying her question again. "I mean the guy isn't known for his charity work, but when he found out about you… I honestly believe he would have given everything away to get you back. I'm just curious, why him? I mean, why do you love him?"

Belle crossed the short distance to the trash can, a small smile playing on her lips. "Who says I do," she asked quietly, meeting the sheriffs gaze evenly.

"You're living togeth-"

"That doesn't mean anything," Belle interrupted, frustration at the accusation growing in her. "He's a good man, Emma. Whether you want to view him as such or not, he really is a good person." Her gaze drifted past the sheriff, fixing on a spot on the wall, memories rushing back to her as she continued defending Gold.

_The halls glowed from the steady stream of sunlight shining from the windows. Belle carried her feather duster gliding it down the banisters, not truly committed to her cleaning. She approached the window, looking out in thought, resting her chin in her hand. "He's lonely," she thought. "that's why he brought me here." Honestly, after the first night spend in the Dark Castle, her fear of him had diminished into almost nonexistence. _

_The rumors of the great Rumpelstiltskin, the man who traded in babes, were a far cry from the man she now knew. She had been suspicious of his act only hours after she had arrived, when he had opened the door of the dark dungeon and pulled her up, leading her to her actual room, giggling about his personal quip. Her doubts of his maliciousness were confirmed, however, when, one day, while cleaning she had come across one of his contracts that he had been working on, sitting at his desk. _

_Glancing behind her to make sure her master wasn't present, her eyes glanced over the terms and conditions, noting that it was for a woman, a poor woman, it seemed, who wanted riches more than the child that she had given birth to. _

_Horrified, Belle picked up the parchment, before noticing a second one underneath. This one seemed to be directed towards a childless duchess. A woman so distraught from her lack of a child,that she agreed to give up her station in order to conceive. "He's trading their positions," she thought looking between the contracts. "He doesn't actually gain anything from these deals, just gives people what they want." She looked around the vast castle, and smiled slightly as she thought back to the trade made to her father. "Well, doesn't usually gain anything from them." She quickly set the parchments down and continued with her cleaning, her smile still in place even when he returned from his week-long leave, demanding dinner that instant. _

_From that moment on, she knew he wasn't the monster everyone painted him to be, but rather a mediator- granted a well provided one- but one just the same. People demanded things from him, but when it came time to actually pay for their demands, they felt cheated and self-righteous. Rumpelstiltskin was by no means a handsome prince, but neither was he a cruel beast. Simply a brilliant business man. _

_She found herself smiling again as she gazed out the window, her thoughts circling around her employer. Belle reflected on the moments they'd spend together, the time he'd caught her in his arms from a rather nasty spill, the moments spent speaking to each other while he spun and she pretended to dust around him. And more and more recently, the times spent together in front of the fire, a book in her hand, and usually a contract and pen in his. How she wished that they were closer, that one night, instead of sitting far apart in their own worlds, that they could interact in a way that was more friendly. Perhaps, instead of the chair, she could sit near him on the rug and read to him. She would finish the last page of the chapter, intending to go to bed, and he would rise to bid her goodnight. They would notice that they were much closer than either intended, and then maybe, he could take her in his arms and-_

_Belle jumped at a loud crash followed by several expletives coming from Rum's lab. She looked down the hall noticing smoke beginning to flow from the door before she ran towards her master. Her master and nothing else, she reminded herself. Rushing into the room and throwing open the window, she turned around and used all of her will power not to laugh out at the infuriated look Rumpel was sending towards a broken beaker. _

"_I'll… umhm… I'll go get something to clean up this mess." Her resolve fell and she quickly exited the room, giggling her way down the hall. She knew, for some strange and unexplainable reason, the moment she had seen him with his defenses down, glaring at a broken piece of glass in indignation, that she had fallen… hard. It was with this thought that her laughter died, and she realized that she had to leave this castle… if it were the last thing she did. _

"Well your idea of good and mine must be different, but that still doesn't answer my question," Emma said, snapping Belle out of her daze. "Why do you love him?"

Belle once again met Emma's gaze, a smile falling across her face as she answered, "Because of who he is, every part, good and bad, that's why I love him."


	3. Moving Forward

AN: I've returned! Currently I am trying to finish Blue and Gold! As it is, I can't seem to get out of the angst funk I've been in because of finals, and since it's supposed to be a wedding… angst isn't invited. On a more positive note, I have a Tumblr, with no followers. If you'd like to follow me, PM me and I'll tell you the user name :D

Thanks to my amazing beta Oldromanticem, without whom I would be lost in run-on sentences. Thank you so much for putting up with my rushed typing! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time

Moving Forward

Mr. Gold had spent twenty eight years of his life, trapped with a chipped cup as his only window to the past. He couldn't count how many times he held that precious bit of porcelain in his hands, his fingers running over the chip at the top. This was his reminder of his past, of his mistakes and his loss. This cup was all he had left of his one true love.

When he found his beautiful Belle, both mentally and physically unscathed, he refused to let her go. Mr. Gold held onto her as he had the tea cup, very cautious in how he acted around her. He would not let his temper take her away. Not again. She was too precious and had too much destruction in her young life to be denied anything. Gold would take a bullet for his Belle, would give her the world, anything she wanted… but he was not going to allow that movie in his home.

"Please, Rum."

Bright blue eyes shined as she held onto his left hand, stroking it softly as if her attention would gain his favor. She bit her lip, not in the way she did while reading and pondering a thought, but in the way that he knew he couldn't refuse. It was the same look she gave him in the Dark Castle when she, in her clumsy state, would knock over a great, irreplaceable artifact, breaking it beyond recognition. It was the look that he saw and knew that something had not gone in his favor, and despite the rumors (and the truths) of his cruelty, he knew he would excuse it with a wave of his hand and an air of dismissal.

"It's the only one I haven't seen."

The couple, official for nearly six months now, were currently in his private office at work, him sitting at his repair desk, and her kneeling by his side. She adjusted her hold on him, his refusal to turn away from his work causing her to hold him securely to ensure he couldn't escape.

"No."

"You're being unreasonable; he's only in there for a little bit."

"No."

"Well, why not?" Belle huffed, dropping his hand and standing up in defiance, hands on her hips. Gold sighed, looking away from the small music box currently on his desk and turned to face her, having to look up to see her eyes.

"David had no problem with Mary Margret watching them," Belle glared down at her lover, refusing to understand his aversion to this movie.

In her time spent 'aware' in Storybrooke, Belle had ran into many fascinating discoveries, several of which shocked her. It wasn't until a few months into her adjustment that Mr. Gold had introduced her to the den of their huge home, in which lay a large flat screen television.

At the time, Belle feared it to be like the mirror Regina had used in their world of old, but after a rather embarrassing reaction and reassurance by her true love, it had soon become her favorite room. To imagine the books she read and loved played out before her eyes was almost more than she could hope for. The sounds and colors that depicted the faraway places she had dreamed of as a child overwhelmed her and ignited her imagination like no other. When she had been introduced to animation, she had been less impressed-that was, until she had found a certain collection of "DVD's", as the storytellers were called, that depicted something she was quite familiar with. The fairy tale collection at the library was quite small, and she assumed it only allowed the few that wouldn't endanger Regina's reign. There was one series, however that was fully intact. With four movies in all, the series played off of the tales that Belle knew so well, almost insulting them on a few occasions.

When she had discovered the movies, Gold had thought nothing of them, not having the patience to sit with her and watch the drivel, no matter how much he loved her being in his arms (he usually made up for the absence later in the night, anyways), but when she had continued to bring home the sequels, he decided to see what her interest was. Using a closed internet connection, one not monitored by their madam mayor, Gold began to look up the series.

The credits on the third movie had just ran, and Belle was about to change the disks when he walked in, surprisingly spry for a man with a cane, and whisked the offensive material, throwing it out the window before she could utter a word. Her shock finally registered completely as he selected another movie to watch from his personal collection.

Some argument about replacing the library's materials, and just what was the matter with him occurred, and had resulted with him falling asleep, alone in the den and her locked up in their room, refusing him entrance.

That was nearly three days ago, and although Belle was still quite irate with her true love over his ridiculous behavior, she had excused it. A conversation with Mary Margaret, who was now also aware, explained just why her Rum had decided to start acting like a child.

"He probably doesn't want you to think poorly of him," she had said over frozen yogurt yesterday. At Belle's confused look, she elaborated. _"The villain in the last one is Rumpelstiltskin, only he's a bit… weird… even for him." _

Belle had taken this new bit of information, and with nerves steeled and anger simmered, had marched straight to the pawn shop and straight into his office.

"Well, then… go find your happy ending with him," Gold grumbled, reaching for his cane and standing up.

"You are being incorrigible, Rum. It's just a movie," Belle's tone took on a lighter note, trying to balance between annoying him into submission, without giving way to his insecurities. She blocked his way, refusing him exit from behind his desk, and with the chair behind him, he had no way of leaving the opposite way. Gold narrowed his eyes before placing his hands over hers on her hips and bodily moving her from his path. Crippled, he may have been, but weak, he certainly wasn't.

"We could watch it together," Belle asked, trying to block him again, and failing as he quickly exited the office.

"I'm done discussing this, Belle," Gold gritted through his teeth. "It's my house, and I decide what is allowed." The instant the words were out of his mouth, his eyes shut in despair, trying desperately to do damage control. He turned to see Belle stopped in the middle of the doorway, face distraught for a mere second before she quickly replaced it with a smile.

"No," she said, approaching him. His words had stung, but she refused to let him act this way. Regardless of if she got her way over the movie, there was an underlying issue of him being unable to allow anyone into his little world completely, to look at him scarred and ugly and still stay by his side.

"It's _our_ home, and we will discuss it as any normal, adult couple," she said, coming to his side and wrapping her arms around his neck. Belle had spent too much time alone and unloved to allow this man to push her away again, especially over something as ridiculous as a children's movie.

The honesty in her eyes and the weight of her hands distracted him from the fears he felt rushing though him at his carelessness. Being the ever brave woman that she was, Belle had fully ignored his stupidity, determined to get to the root of his insecurities, something he wasn't sure he was grateful or fearful for.

"An adult couple would not be discussing something as juvenile as Shrek." The name, already funny in itself to Belle, came across with an interesting pitch to his roguish accent. She couldn't contain her amusement as her light giggles began to turn into full laughter, and she was burying her face into his shoulder. Her humor was contagious, and even Gold, despite his frustration with the girl, found himself smiling lightly.

It wasn't until her laughter died down that Gold pulled back, holding her chin and looking into her ocean blue eyes. His features softened as he looked down at the woman who had changed his life, his reason for living, besides his precious son.

"Is it really that important to you?"

Belle smiled back at him, before leaning up and capturing his lips with her own in a chaste kiss before taking a step back.

"I suppose not," she said pulling him after her. "In all honesty, I couldn't stand the last one, so I imagine this one won't be much better." She grinned over her shoulder, flipping the "open" sign to "closed" before dragging him outside and towards their home. "I have a better idea on how to spend the evening."

_Be sure to review! -TrueLovesMiss_


End file.
